Boiler-feeder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. E. VAN AUKEN. BOILER FEEDER.

No. 487,305. Patented Dec. 6, 1892..

(No Model.) 2 SheEts-Sheet 2.

U. E. VAN AUKEN. BOILER FEEDER.

No. 487,305. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

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ms nonms PEI-Ens co. PHDTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. B4 c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @T'Ticn,

CLARENCE E. VAN AUKEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOILER-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,305, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed April 9, 1892- Serial No. 428,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. VAN AUKEN, residing at Ohicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic BoilerFeeders, of which the following, when taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, is a full and complete description, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

The object of my invention is to obtain an automatic boiler-feeder, into which water may flow intermittently and not under pressure and from which such water shall be,wl1en the shell or case forming such automatic boilerfeederissubstantially filled thereby,automatically discharged intothe boiler against the pressure contained therein whatever the same may be.

In the drawings referred to as forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation of a boiler and of a device embodying my invention secured thereon and showing by dotted lines so much of the pipe extending from such device into the boiler asis contained therein; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the shell or case of the reservoir of the device and of the parts contained therein; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view of the valve forming a part of the device on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view on line 4 at of Fig. 3.

The same letter of reference is used to indicate a given part where more than one view thereof is shown in the several figures of the drawings.

X is the boiler, and Y is the steam-dome thereof,

A is the shell or case forming a part of the device embodying my invention; B, the valve forming a part thereof; 0, a pipe extending from the steam-dome Y to valve 13; I), a pipe extending from the feed-supply into the shell or case A, and E a pipe extending from the shell or case A into the boiler X. The feedsupply from which pipe D extends may be a reservoir containing water of condensation from exhaust-steam or other Water, as desired.

The shell or case A, forming the reservoir, is for convenience mounted on base Ct, adapted to [it on the top of the boiler X and be riveted thereto; but it is not essential that such shell or case A be mounted on theboiler, as it may be placedin any position adjacent to the boiler convenient or desirable.

In the shell or case A there is contained the right-angled lever F, having arms ff, fulcrumed on pivot f and to the free end of such lever F there is attached by pivot f the lever F, the other end of such lever F sliding freely into rotatable socket F G is a spring on rod F, abutting at one end against stop g and at the other end against the rotatable socket F H is a rod suspended from pivot f such rod having thereon stops it h and float H.

The valve B isactuated by the right-angled lever F, as will be hereinafter explained.

The movement of such lever F and the manner in which such movement is obtained and controlled will, however, be here explained. The float H in shell A floats upon the water W contained therein, and as Water flows into the shell through pipe D from the feed-supply thereof such float rises with the Water until it has assumed the position illustrated by the dotted circle, (lettered Hi) when the upper edge of such float will be in contact with the under side of the stop h on rod H. Further rising of the water WV will continue to carry the float therewith, together with the rod H and pivot f, to which such rod is secured, thereby turning the right-angled lever F on pivotf As the right-angled lever F turns on its pivotf, the rod F will be forced or slid into the rotatable socket F and the spring G thereby compressed until the pivot f has passed above a point on the straight line joining pivot f and the rotatable socket F after which such spring can and will extend until the pivot f has obtained its highest determined position, The spring Gshould be and is by me made of sufficient strength to maintain the levers F F in position, so that the pivotal point f thereof will remain in substantially the place indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and hold suspended the rod II on such pivot f until the whole or a substantial part of the float H is also sus pended thereon, when, as will be hereinafter described, the water IV recedes or flows from the shell or case A through pipe E into. the boiler X, such receding Water carrying therewith the float H. When, however, the float H rests upon the upper face of the stop h, such float H and rod H are sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring G, exerted in the manner herein described, and such float I-I', rod I-I, right-angled lever F, and rod F will assume the position in which such rod H, right-angled lever F, rod F, and spring G are illustrated by full lines in Fig. 2.

I is a stop-valve in the pipeD, opening toward the reservoir A, so as to permit water to flow from pipe D into such reservoir and to close against water or steam flowing from the reservoir into the pipe D, and I is a like stopvalve in pipe E,arrangedto permit the water in the reservoir A to flow through pipe E in the direction indicated by the arrow at the end of such pipe in Fig. 2-and into the boiler and toprevent steam or water extending from the boiler X intothe reservoir A. Thevalve B, interposed between the reservoir A and the steam-dome Y of the boiler, is actuated by the hereinbefore described movement. of the crank-lever F, so as to be alternately opened and closed to admit steamfrom thedome Y into the reservoir and to shut steam off from extending from such dome tosuoh reservoir. When the crank-arm F is in the position indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 2, the valve-B isopened, and when in the position illustrated by the full lines thereof such valve isclosed'. When the-steam is shut off,- as stated, water may flowinto the reservoir A frompipe B, and whenthe' valveB is opened, so that the steam can passtherethrough, such steam will enter the reservoir above the water contained therein,thereby closing the valve I and equalizing the pressure in the reservoir- A with the pressure in the boiler X, and the Water in the reservoir A will then flow by gravity'into the boiler X until the float H has fallen, so-as to shut olf such steam. After the steam is shut off from entering into the reservoir A the steam contained therein may beexhausted of valve in the construction of thatportion of the device embodying my invention.

J is a plunger having at the lower-end thereofvalv-e K, spider K, and" valve K and. at the upper end thereof disk L.

Z is a spring abutting against the dislrL and against the cap L. The purposeof'tliis spring is merely to steady movement of the plunger J, valve K, spider K, valve K and disk L thereon, and may be omitted, if desired.

M is the valve-seat of valveK, and M is a hole forming the valve-seat of the valve K The spiders K are of proper length, so that 'when the valve K is seatedthe valve K is unseated sufficiently to allow steam to pass through it from reservoir A through passageway N, and when valve K is unseated valve K is seated, so that such steam cannot pass ftherethrough, but must extend through passage-way N into reservoir A. The disk L is larger in area than the valve K, and hence when steam is not contained behind the disk L the pressure of the steam in passage-way N of the valve B opens the valve K by moving disk L upward into chamber R'.

O is an abutment in valve B, on which the right-angled lever F is'pivoted, as hereinbefore described, and P is a passage-way in which is placed the piston P, actuated by armf" of thecrank-lever F.

P isa valve on the inner end of piston-P, and P is the-valve-seat of valve P P is a portion of the pistonP of lesser'diameter thant-he remainder of the piston, so that a passage-way'is left bet-ween such piston at such part thereof" and the wall of the passage-way P.

Q is a passage-way in valve B, extending from passage-way P to chamber-R behindthe disk L. S is an opening-from passage-way'P in that part of suchpassage-way in which is placed the part of piston P, whereof the die ameter is less than the diameterot" the passage-way, as described; and forms, in connection, with passage-way Q and'portion of passage-way P, when the valve P is unseated by the movement'of the crank-arm F, an exhaust:- passage for chamber B; When the piston P ispushed forward, and therebyvalve P unseated from seatP suchpistonis'again seat ed on or in seat T, andthe passage-way Qis thereby closed.

Whenthe-several parts of the valve B are in the position illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 3, the valve P is seated on seat I? and passage-wayQ is opened into passage-way N and steamfrom the dome Y' may andwillenter the passage-way N and extend'therefrom into passage-way Q and to chamber B, there by closing the valveK, becauseof disk L being of greater area than said valve K. \Vhen the piston. P is pushed forward, so as-toclose passage-way Q, as described, the steamcontained' in the chamber R can escape therefrom through exhaust S and the steam from the domeY contained in the passage-Way N will also, because of such disk L being: of greater areathan valve K, raise valve K from its seat and close valveK and such steam willthen enterthe reservoir A. The valve 13 is secured to the reservoirA by boltspassing through holes U and corresponding holes-in the-cover of the reservoir A.

I have described my device as attached to a steam-boiler havinga steam-dome and have stated that the pipe 0 extends into the steamdome. It is, however, evident that in boilers not having steam-domes the pipe 0 may extend to any part thereof above the water-line in such boiler, and, if desired,in a boiler having a steam-dome such pipe can extend to some other part of such boiler above the waterline therein.

It will be understood that the total quantity of water flowing through the pipe D from the feed-water supply into shell or case A should in no case exceed the quantity of Water evaporated in boiler X. Where the herein-described apparatus is employed in returning to the Water of condensation obtained from water evaporated in the boiler, the supply of water furnished through pipe D to shell or case A will be necessarily less than the quantity of water evaporated in boiler X. Where other than such water of condensation is supplied through pipe D to shell or case A and the quantity of water supplied is greater than the capacity of the boiler X to evaporate, such supply must be regulated and controlled, as by an ordinary valve in pipe D; but as the controlling of such supply is easily effected and forms no essential part of my present invention means for attaining the same are not herein illustrated or particularly described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic boiler-feeder, a reservoir having a pipe extending thereinto from the feed-water supply, a valve in such pipe permitting fluid to flow into the reservoir and preventing fluid from flowing out of the reservoir, and a pipe extending from a boiler above the water-line thereof, a valve interposed in such pipe between the boiler and the reservoir, and a pipe extending out of the reservoir to the boiler, having a valve therein, permitting fluid to pass from the reservoir into the boiler and preventing fluid from passing from the boiler into the reservoir, in combination with a lever in the reservoir fulcrumed at one end to a rigid abutment and at the other end pivoted to a second lever movably fulcrumed in a rotatable socket, a spring mounted on the second lever and abutting at one end against an abutment on the lever and at the other end against an abutment not connected to such lever, a rod suspended at the point of connection of the two levers within the reservoir, stops on the rod, and a float, the float adapted to slide between the stops and actuate the rod and levers when moved by water contained in the reservoir, and the first-named lever attached to and operating byits movement the valve interposed between the reservoir and the boiler, sub

' stantially as described.

from flowing out of the reservoir, a pipe ex tending from the reservoir to a boiler, a valve in such pipe, permitting fluid to pass from the reservoir into the boiler and preventing fluid from passing from the boiler into the reservoir, alever in the reservoir, fulcrumed at one end to a rigid abutment and at the other end pivoted to a second lever movably fulcrumed in a rotatable socket, a spring mounted on the second lever and abutting at one end against an abutment on the lever and at the other end against an abutment not connected to such lever, a rod suspended at the point of connection of the two levers within the reservoir, stops on the rod, and a float, the float adapted to slide between the stops and actuate the rod and levers when moved by water contained in the reservoir, in combination with a valve attached to the reservoir above the water-line thereof, such valve consisting of a plunger, a valve on the plunger, and a disk on the plunger of greater area than the valve, a chamber above the disk, a passage-way extending from such chamber into the main passage-way of the valve between the valve and the disk, and a piston adapted to open and close the passageway extending from the chamber above the disk, such piston actu ated by the first-named lever contained in the reservoir, and a pipe extending from. the valve to the boiler above the water-line of such boiler, substantially as described.

3. A valve for an automatic boiler-feeder, consisting of a casing, a plunger movable in the casing, having a valve at one end thereof and a disk of greater area than such valve at the other end thereof, a chamber above the disk, a passage-way extending from the chamher to the passage-way between the valve and the disk, a movable piston adapted to alternately close such passage-way extending to the chamber above the disk and to open the exhaust from the chamber, and a valve-seat for the valve, whereby when the piston is moved so asto open the passageway into the chamber above ;the disk the valve on the plunger is closed on the seat therefor by the steam extendinginto such chamber, and when such piston is moved so as to permit the steam to be exhausted from such chamber above the disk the valve is opened by the pressure of the steam on the under side of the disk, substantially as described.

4. A valve for an automatic boiler-feeder, consisting of a casing, a plunger movable in the casing, having a disk at one end thereof and a valve of less area than such disk at the other end thereof, an extension on the under side of the valve, and a second valve on the end of such extension, a chamber above the disk, a passage-way extending from the chamber to the passage-way between the valve and the disk, a movable piston adapted to alternately close such passage-way extending to the chamber above the disk and to open the exhaust from the chamber, and valve-seats for such valves in the passageway extending from the valve-casing, such valve-seats being arranged so that when the valve of one thereof is seated the valve of the other is unseated, whereby when the piston is moved so as to open the passage-Way into the chamber above the disk the upper valve on the plunger is closed by the steam extending into such chamber and the lower valve is opened, and when such piston is nuov'ed so as to perinit the steam to be exhausted fromsueh IO chamber above the disk the upper valve is opened and the lower valve is closed by the pressure of the steam on the under side of the disk, substantially as described.

CLARENCE E. VAN AUKEN. In presence of CHARLES TURNER BROWN, KATIE A. HARGADEN. 

